Polona Hercog holds a perfect record over Pauline Parmentier ahead of Sunday's final, having beaten the Frenchwoman in three sets on clay in Bogota in 2011.

Pauline Parmentier is taking part in her first final of 2018, and had never made it past the last 16 of any previous tournament this year. She lost at that stage in both Croissy-Beauborg and Taipei City.

Polona Hercog is also playing her first final of the year, adding to her quarterfinal appearance in Auckland.

Pauline Parmentier is making her debut at the Istanbul tournament this year, seeking her third career title. She lifted the silverware in Tashkent in 2007 and also Bad Gastein the following year.

Polona Hercog lost in the first round on her two previous appearances in Istanbul, in 2008 and 2009.

The only previous Frenchwoman to make the final in Istanbul was Aravane Rezai, who lost to Elena Dementieva 11 years ago. Polona Hercog is the first Slovenian to make it this far.